The Young Lord Had His Reasons

Atop Hokage Rock in Konoha, Uchiha Takeyasu—unaware of the upheaval to come—stood above the stone head of Senju Tobirama.

"Senju Tobirama, that evil Uchiha brat became Hokage, too."

"I really wish I could bring you back with Impure World Reincarnation and let you see the moment I ascended to Hokage."

"Too bad you're well and truly dead."

As he looked down over the vast expanse of Konoha, Uchiha Takeyasu thought of how he was now in charge, commanding the strongest military force in the Ninja World. The frustration Tachibana had caused him finally began to fade.

He put Tachibana out of his mind. She was just a chubby little cat who couldn't escape his grasp. If he paid her too much attention, she'd get carried away.

He'd give her the cold shoulder for a while and teach her a lesson, so she wouldn't forget where she stood in the family.

With his mind at ease, Uchiha Takeyasu hopped onto the top of Senju Tobirama's stone head and gave it a few stomps, earning himself the achievement of dancing on a grave.

If this were one of those achievement systems, he'd definitely get the Flying Thunder God Technique as a reward.

"My next goal is to build up the village and develop its resources. I'll harvest a huge amount of Ascension Points through Konoha, spend them to get the Eternal Mangekyo, then sweep through the Ninja World and pursue immortality."

After setting his plan in motion, Uchiha Takeyasu leaped down from Hokage Rock and went straight to the Security Department, his gaze thoughtful.

Amid the clan members' stream of congratulations, he ran a few little experiments on the condemned prisoners, then left with a delighted smile.

"Baru, what do you think Takeyasu Young Lord meant?"

In the underground prison, Uchiha Rai, the East District squad leader, examined the Katana imbued with Mangekyo Dojutsu Power in his hand, looking puzzled.

"What's the difference between executing a condemned prisoner with a weapon imbued with Dojutsu Power and executing one with a regular weapon?"

"Just do as Takeyasu Young Lord said. Why ask so many questions?"

"The Young Lord has his reasons."

Uchiha Baru, the South District squad leader, surveyed the nearly hundred shinobi in the prison. Most were enemy spies handed over by Anbu, and they'd almost filled the Security Department's usually underused cells to capacity.

"Hurry up and deal with these prisoners. The Young Lord's asked us all to attend a banquet tonight. We can't go without washing up and tidying ourselves. We can't embarrass the Young Lord now that he's Hokage-sama."

As soon as he finished speaking, Uchiha Naka, the West District squad leader, stepped forward with his Katana. He dispatched the prisoners one by one, thoughtfully using Fire Release to seal their wounds and keep the blood from spilling, so the cleanup afterward would be easier.

"By the way, what about Osamu?"

As he worked through the line, Uchiha Naka asked enviously, "Osamu reached Kage Level. He'll be a clan elder soon, won't he?"

"I don't think that's all."

Uchiha Rai sounded certain. "Look, Takeyasu Young Lord has become Hokage. He probably won't also serve as head of the Security Department, and Shikata just stepped down as Clan Head. He's unlikely to come back to the post."

"More importantly, Osamu is young, about the same age as Takeyasu Young Lord. There's a good chance he'll be the next department head."

"Kage Level. Mangekyo."

After Uchiha Baru dealt with the last prisoner, he thought back over his time in the Security Department.

He remembered how happy he'd been when he first stood out among the Uchiha Jonin and became a squad leader. Now, he felt he'd accomplished nothing. At last, Uchiha Baru made up his mind.

"I'm leaving the Security Department. I can't see a way forward here anymore."

"...Same here."

"Let's all leave together—for ourselves, and for the Uchiha Clan's prosperity."

When Uchiha Takeyasu returned to the Uchiha Clan Compound, Kaku Uchiha first pulled him aside to discuss the evening's banquet. Afterward, he took a shower and, seeking some peace and quiet, went to the clan library.

Uchiha Takeyasu sat cross-legged in a Quiet Room. He glanced at his steadily rising Ascension Points and smiled with the delight of a farmer looking out over a bountiful harvest.

With a steady resource spawn point and automatic harvesting, this was what a real cheat was!

Going out to hunt monsters himself and all that? Pathetic.

(If I equipped every shinobi in Konoha with ninja tools infused with my Dojutsu Power...)

The thought crossed his mind, but Uchiha Takeyasu quickly dismissed it.

Apart from a few shinobi who specialized in kenjutsu, the rest just flung shuriken and Kunai around. He'd have to be crazy to infuse disposable tools with Dojutsu Power. Mangekyo Dojutsu Power wasn't exactly a cabbage.

Besides, ninjutsu also accounted for a large part of killing enemies.

(Maybe I need to create a style of kenjutsu that anyone can use, from students at the Ninja Academy all the way to Jonin. That could change things.)

Thinking of Sunagakure's puppet technique, which people of all ages could use, Uchiha Takeyasu began to see the possibilities.

Once a Katana became essential equipment for shinobi, he could use the Hokage's authority to tie his weapons shop to the village. Graduates of the Ninja Academy would get one for free.

He could also set requirements for Genin, Chunin, and Jonin to complete a certain number of missions to receive free replacements. That would let him outfit nearly every shinobi in Konoha.

And in the end, the money would come from the people themselves. The village took a small commission from completed missions as tax revenue, and those taxes could cover the Uchiha Clan's weapon costs, along with a modest profit.

Of course, Konoha's main source of income for now was still the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's support.

If the plan worked, the Uchiha would gain a good reputation, Uchiha Takeyasu would gain Ascension Points, and the shinobi would benefit too. A win-win-win.

"The clan's inherited high-level kenjutsu techniques include Sword Leaping Flame, Gale Sword, Sun Halo Dance, Wind Cutter Slash, Wind Lightning Slash..."

Uchiha who had awakened their Sharingan had little trouble learning these Uchiha Style Kenjutsu techniques. But they were much harder for students at the Ninja Academy and some Chunin.

"I can collect low- and mid-level kenjutsu techniques from all the major shinobi clans. The Uchiha have offered up high-level techniques without reservation, so they have no reason to refuse."

Jonin could trade contributions for Uchiha Style Kenjutsu, while Genin and Chunin could learn more accessible techniques.

That would help prevent the Uchiha Style Kenjutsu from spreading outside the clan, and Jonin were the backbone of every shinobi village. This move might win the Uchiha some goodwill.

"The problem of harvesting Ascension Points in small-unit combat is solved. All that's left is dealing with the Ninja Army. Maybe I could use the Chakra Cannon that appears later?"

"Or I could just charge in with Susanoo and cut them down?"

Uchiha Takeyasu couldn't remember when the Second Shinobi World War would break out. He only vaguely recalled that the Konoha Sannin made their names during that war.

Tsunade was only six now, so war was still a long way off. There was plenty of time to develop Chakra weapons suited to large-scale battles between Ninja Armies.

"The only real priority from here on is Ascension Points. I can take care of everything else little by little."

After thinking it over, Uchiha Takeyasu saw that he still had plenty of time. He picked up a history of the Uchiha from the library and began reading.

One historical account caught his attention.